While I was on my Idaho book tour visiting with parenting grandparents and the professionals who support them, I had the opportunity to be interviewed by WKID radio. If you click on the link below you can listen to the short interview which focuses strickly on grandparents who are parents for a second time. The grandparents I met and talked with throughout the state of Idaho are inspiring and courageous. I even met with a 14 year old teenager who will be writing an article for my blog in the next few weeks. I hope you find the interview informative and know my commitment to helping the public understand how big the trend is for grandparents becoming parents a second time is a passion I am totally dedicated to … just as you commit daily to making your grandchildren’s lives meaningful and safe.

What an incredible time the last three months have been for me. I have met some of the most wonderful and giving parenting grandparents in my travels from Michigan to Colorado. I have also met some of the most devoted and committed professionals who work to support parenting grandparents, from social workers and teachers to radio show personalities. It seems that once people are aware of the number of children being parented by their grandparents, they not only want more information, they also want to know why they were not aware of this information.

Although 1 out of 9.5 children are being raised part-time or full-time by their grandparents, in the United States there is little public awareness. My goal is not only to inform the public, but to encourage them to influence local, state and federal legislators to provide legislation for programming to support parenting grandparents and their grandchildren.

To that end, I wanted to share with you that I will be touring the state of Idaho this month meeting and speaking to parenting grandparents and other kinship caregivers. I will also be doing a presentation for a group of kinship care professionals at Idaho State University. During the week of April 9 – 13th, I will be in Coeur d’Alene, Lewiston, Nampa and Pocatello, Idaho.

I will then travel to Michigan where I will meet parenting grandparents and the professionals who support them in Clawson, Michigan on April 23rd and in Ann Arbor, Michigan on April 25th. While I consider the sacrifices and work of all parenting grandparents and kinship caregivers both noble and sacred, I need each of you to“speak up and speak out” about, who you are and what you need. Start at your local, community level, and then connect with your state and federal representatives.

Remember, organizations like Generations United, AARP, The Child Welfare League and many more have important information on their web sites to help you get started. They list your representatives, talk about legislation state by state and who to contact in order to advocate for yourselves, but most importantly, for your grandchildren. They also identify support groups for parenting grandparents throughout your state.

My book, The Sacred Work of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, also includes a number of resources for parenting grandparents, while addressing the many challenging emotional, psychological and social issues you each face as you parent and raise your grandchildren.

I am so happy to share this article with my readers as it is written by a parenting grandparent from Florida. She offers a simple, yet wonderful idea for strengthening your family bonds. Enjoy and let me know what you think. I will be featuring articles from other parenting grandparents from time to time in the future, and would even love to hear from some of the grandchildren and teens they are raising. It is very special to be able to reflect and share your thoughts and ideas. With Gratitude, Elaine

Appreciation Buckets

From A.B.in Florida

Set up an appreciation bucket for each member of your family with their name on it. These can be small plastic pails or small boxes placed in a central location in your home.

Each family member can then leave little written notes of appreciation and affection in the other person’s bucket letting them know how much they care about and value them. A picture will do also.

You can also leave candy treats or other little items you know they like. Maybe even a movie ticket. Use your imagination and be creative!

Make this an ongoing daily practice and not just a one-time thing. You’ll be surprised at how this increases positive communication and strengthens your family bonds.

This event is a great way to meet me and other authors from the comfort of your home, office or wherever the day finds you. I will be speaking about my new book, The Sacred Work of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren and giving you the story behind the story.
You’ll also have the opportunity to ask me questions, which I will answer during the show.

And for attending the virtual show, you will earn a free copy of my book.

Sign up today!

I’d also like to announce that beginning next week I will feature articles here on my blog written by grandparents.

I will be in Boise, Idaho April 12th to give a free presentation about KinCare families and will share helpful tips on raising relatives children. Click on the link for details, time and place. Hope to see you there!

Lon Woodbury MA, owner of Places for Struggling Teens (TM) and Woodbury Reports Inc. (TM), is a Certified Educational Planner (CEP) and a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). He has worked with emotional growth, character education, and therapeutic schools and programs since 1984. I hope you enjoy the article on The Sacred Work of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, he wrote after a radio interview I did with him on February 13, 2012. Just click on the link and let me know your thoughts. With gratitude, Elaine

I am in the process of moving from Michigan to New Mexico. My home sold so quickly that I only have 4 weeks to pitch and pack! Needless to say, this is the reason for the delay in posting another blog.

I wanted to share some special moments I had today as I cleaned out and packed what was my old office. My office has always been a sacred space for me where my grand-daughters always left me unexpected notes; or where they drew a picture and posted it on my bulletin board for me to discover at some arbitrary moment.

Well, I never could part with their post-it notes of affection or their hand drawn pictures which have literally become artifacts! Today, I had the opportunity to look at what my granddaughter, who is now nineteen years old, left me when she was nine years old; or my granddaughter, who is now seventeen, left me, when she was in a most creative space at six years of age; or, the little pictures my 14 year old granddaughter left me on my bulletin board. It was a genuine “walk down memory lane.” I hope each of you as grandparents have this opportunity, because these are the really special moments with our grandchildren…the spontaneous, the creative, the unpredictable, and the unexpected.

These are always the best moments because they are genuine moments and messages expressing their heart. These are pure moments of a journey that was playful, fun and just sweet. I sat in my chair at my desk and wondered where our journey would take us now. I am changing and moving to a place that is about 1500 miles from my oldest three granddaughters, and also, my youngest, three year old, granddaughter.

How will they join me on my new journey? How will I join them on their new journeys? They are each on a new path also, going to college, getting ready for college and entering high school. I have no doubt that given the foundation of love and play we have shared for so many years, that we will create a “new beginning,” as we close the old chapter of our lives.

My grandchildren have always had a special place in my life. My paternal grandparents were my hero and heroine and I always intended as a grandmother to have a special place in my own grandchildren’s lives. We have made this happen and my purest experience with “joy” was born in these moments; and even better, they continue.

I hope that each of you as grandparents, have had these incredibly special moments with your grandchildren and that each of you cherish them as magical and meaningful. I will keep you posted on my move that will begin in mid-February. I will be making this trip with my seventeen year old granddaughter who has offered to accompany me on my cross country journey. I have no doubt that we will turn our road trip into an adventure, just like I did with my daughters when they were younger.

My wish for each of you is that you take a moment as parenting grandparents to reflect and acknowledge the magical and meaningful moments you have had with each of your grandchildren over the years. Enjoy the little notes, the hand drawn pictures, the simple moments, the unanticipated moments, the ones that touch your heart in a way that it has never been touched before. Even though you are parents again, don’t let the grandparent relationship escape your notice…celebrate it and find joy in it.